Sliding shower panel assembly

ABSTRACT

We provide a shower enclosure, typically a temporary shower enclosure. Embodiments may include a rod that includes an insert. The insert has at least two tracks. Each track includes a panel that has a top portion that may be placed within the track and the rod. The panel then slides within the track. The rod may be held in a shower enclosure by friction. This allows the creation of an inexpensive and easily-cleaned and replaced shower enclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the invention relate to shower enclosures, and inparticular, a sliding shower panel assembly used to help prevent waterfrom leaving an enclosure.

2. Description of the Related Art

Typical bathroom showers use one of two different systems for providingmodesty to users of the shower and for preventing water from escapingfrom the shower enclosure and going onto the floor or onto nearbyobjects. In one system a shower curtain is suspended from a rod, usuallyby rings that pass through the curtain and over the rod. This system hasa number of disadvantages. For example, the “shower curtain effect” maycause the shower curtain to be blown inward to a user while the showeris running. This may be inconvenient and undesirable. Also, the highlyflexible nature of a typical shower curtain is ill-suited to display oflogos or other images that may be desired in a decorating context.Finally, in areas where a large number of shower curtains are used (forexample, in the hospitality industry), the removal, cleaning, andreplacement of a large number of shower curtains may be time-consumingand expensive, as following cleaning each shower curtain must have itshooks reapplied and then individually re-threaded over a rod.

A common alternative to the shower curtain is the use of a slidingshower door. These devices have their own disadvantages. For example,they require one or two tracks that are typically anchored to the wall,floor, and/or ceiling of the enclosure by drilling holes for theanchors. They are expensive to procure and replace, and they may break.They may “jump” their tracks, causing the entire door to unexpectedlyleave the enclosure. The difficulty cleaning them is such a substantialchore that many hospitality vendors forego them in favor of conventionalshower curtains, even though conventional shower curtains have thedrawbacks discussed above.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention provide a rod that includes an insert. Theinsert has at least two tracks. Each track includes a panel that has atop portion that may be placed within the track and the rod. The panelthen slides within the track. The rod may be held in a shower enclosureby friction. This allows the creation of an inexpensive andeasily-cleaned and replaced shower enclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a sliding shower panel enclosure of the invention, withvarious elements shown separately in succeeding figures.

FIG. 2 a shows an exploded view of a rod, track-containing insert,retaining clips, and end caps of an embodiment of the invention,including a cross-section of the insert showing the shape of oneembodiment of the tracks. FIG. 2 b shows an exploded view of atrack-containing insert, end caps, and retaining clips. FIG. 2 b is notto scale. FIG. 2 c shows a side view and circular cross-section of arod/insert construct. FIG. 2 d shows a side, bottom, and end view of asingle track of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a panel used in an embodiment of the invention. Althoughthe figure shows certain measurements, it must be emphasized that thesemeasurements are given by way of example only, and that they should notbe construed as limiting the claimed invention.

FIG. 4 shows a detail view of a panel of the invention, with emphasis onthe top portion and bottom of the panel. The measurements in FIG. 4 arealso given by way of example only.

FIG. 5 shows an example of an enclosure of the invention in which thepanels have a decorative design.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

We provide a sliding shower panel that offers a more substantialenclosure than a shower curtain, but that does not require permanentmounting hardware. Embodiments of the invention may offer one or more ofa number of inventions, including ease of cleaning and replacement, easeof installation, and the ability to cost-effectively decorate the panelsof the enclosure. Detrimental effects or requirements such as unwantedcurtain movement or the need for mounting hardware may be avoided.

Embodiments of the invention provide a rod that is held in place,typically by an adjustable screw on one end of the rod. The rod may behollow or partially hollow. Normally the rod includes friction pads oneach end to aid in securing the rod. Securing the rod through frictioneliminates the need to screw the rod into the shower tile, fiberglass,or other shower enclosure material. A user of the rod may thereforesecure it or change it without the danger of permanent damage to theshower. No tools or special construction skills are necessary.

Each rod further includes an insert that has two tracks. The insert maybe, for example, aluminum, plastic, or another sufficiently durablematerial with relatively low friction. The tracks are oriented parallelto the long axis of the rod. Each track is designed to accommodate the aheader at the top of a panel such that a panel may depend from the trackwhile also being able to slide in the track and along the length of therod. In one embodiment the insert is aluminum, with tracks that aresquare on three sides and with flange lips on the fourth side. Thisallows the header of a panel to have a cross-section shaped as a “T.”Other cross-sections are also possible, including a square or an “M.”Any cross-section that will allow the panel to slide freely withoutfalling out of the track may be used. The rod includes a slot runningthe length of the rod and allowing access to the tracks by the panels.

The insert may be retained by clips in the rod, where the retention mayaffirmatively hold the insert in place, for example by an interferencefit, or merely prevent the position of the insert from shifting withinthe rod. Clips may also be incorporated into end retainers that fitwithin the rod and retain the insert. These end retainers may supportend caps, which may include a friction pad. In some embodiments the endretainers and end caps include mating screws that allow the position ofone or both of the end caps to be varied somewhat to allow the overalllength of the rod/insert assembly to be varied for ease of installation.

The tracks typically have close tolerances, often within one quarterinch. The use of these close tolerances allows the panels to slide pasteach other while preventing water from moving between the panels andtherefore outside the designated shower area.

Panels may be made of many materials. One preferred material is PVC,which is sufficiently rigid to avoid issues associated with showercurtains but still flexible enough to be loosely rolled for shipping.Panels may also bear ornamentation, including by printing, molding,appliques, or other materials. Panels may be transparent, translucent,or opaque. They may have the same or different colors. They may beembossed.

As previously discussed, the header at the top of the panel has across-section designed to slide within the track. Although embodimentsof the invention have been described as including two tracks and twopanels, in other embodiments varying number of tracks and panels may beused. For example, an embodiment may include three tracks and threepanels, one of which is intended to be positioned in the center of therod when the enclosure has been placed.

Placement of the header into the insert is straightforward. The rod hasa wall aperture in communication with a groove that is angled within theinsert. These allow insertion of the header by pushing the top up intothe wall aperture. Once the header is fully in the insert, it is notremoved until a user aligns it with the groove and the wall aperture andpulls it down and out of the insert and rod.

In a further embodiment, the header is separate from the remainder ofthe panel, and is attached to the panel by hooks, chains, a heat-seal,epoxy, or other attachments. These allow secure connection and quickreplacement of the panel.

The sides of each panel near the ends of the rod may have a flexibleinsert that allows the panel to shape around the shower enclosure. In afurther embodiment the sides of the panel are rigid but angled to helpprevent egress of water. In a further embodiment the sides of each panelnear the center of the rod are angled to contact the opposite panel.This decreases the effective distance between the panels and furtherreduces the potential for egress of water.

In further embodiments the panels include magnets to secure the paneland further assist in making the enclosure as water-secure as possible.For example, the sides of the panels near the ends of the rod mayinclude magnets that are disposed to match magnets placed on opposingsurfaces, for example the sides of a shower stall or bathtub. This helpssecure the sides of the panel. In a still further embodiment the panelsinclude magnets on the sides of each panel near the center of the rod,allowing the panels to be connected by magnets when the panels haveplaced the shower enclosure into a closed position.

Of course, other methods of securing the panels, either to each otheradhesives or to the walls of an enclosure, may be used. For example, thepanels may be secured by hook-and-eye fasteners (including VELCRO® brandfasteners), adhesives, suction cups, or other fasteners. When combinedwith the relative stiffness provided by the material of the panelsallows them to be better secured than typical shower curtains, andtherefore prevents egress of water in a manner superior to existingtechnology.

The bottoms of the panels may also have a flexible attachment, which maybe, for example, rubber or silica. This allows the bottom of the panelto meet the tub or shower and further help prevent leaks.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described more fully withreference to the accompanying drawings. Like numbers refer to likeelements throughout the figures.

1. Description of Components

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 aillustrates an exploded view of a typical rod and insert used in theinvention. A rod 1 has a first end 3 and a second end 5. Rods may bestraight or curved. Often these ends will have friction pads to preventunwanted movement of the rod. Typically one or both of the ends isadjustable to slightly alter the length of the rod and provide a fitthat is personalized to an individual's shower enclosure. This may beaccomplished through a screw or spring mechanism. Although depicted as acylinder, the rod may have any desired cross-section. The rod 1 has anaperture 7 in the wall of the rod. The rod also has a slot 9 that runsalong the length of the rod. This slot allows the panels to depend fromthe rod.

An insert 11 is also included. The insert may be retained in the rod byone or more clips 13. These clips may further be incorporated in endretainers 15, which act to prevent the insert from sliding out of therod. The end retainers may further be adapted to hold an end cap 17,which may include a friction pad. The end retainers and end caps mayinclude mating threads, allowing the length of the rod/end cap system tobe adjusted.

The insert, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 2 b, includes twotracks 19 and 21, with each track having a separate groove 23 and 25.Each track has a separate opening 27 and 29 running along the length ofthe insert. The panels of the enclosure are situated through theseopenings. The insert is disposed within the rod and oriented such thatseparate openings are oriented to allow access to the tracks through theslot. Typically the wall aperture and groove have shapes correspondingto the cross-section of the tracks, though that is not necessary so longas the shapes are sufficient to accept and retain a top portion of apanel while allowing the top portion of the panel to slide along thetrack.

An embodiment also typically includes two opposite panels 31 and 33. Apanel is shown in more detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. Each of these panelscorresponds to a separate track. Typically a panel has a top 35, aheader 37, a bottom 39, front face 41, back face 43, inner edge 45, andouter edge 47. The header has a cross-section corresponding to the crosssection of the track into which it is to be placed. The header may bemade of the same material as the panels or a different material. If theheader is made of a different material than the panel the header may beheat-sealed or otherwise adhered to the top the panel

In one embodiment there are two panels and each has a header with adifferent cross-section. This allows a user to confidently assemble thepanel in the preferred place, which is most useful for assembling anenclosure with a specific design. The header of each panel may beinserted through the wall aperture and the groove and into a separatetrack, The track retains the header of each panel and allowing thepanels to depend from the insert and slide along the length of the rod.

Not shown in FIG. 3 are optional magnets, which may be placed on theouter edges of the panels. This allows the panels to adhere to magnetsor a metal plate present on an opposite surface. This helps to securethe panels to that surface and minimizes movement of water outside thepanels. Similarly, magnets may be used on the inner edge of each panel.These magnets allow the panels to be secured to each other, furtherpreventing release of water.

As also shown in FIG. 3, the inner side of each panel may be angled 49toward another panel. This makes even closer the already closetolerances of the panels and further prevents water from flowing outsidethe enclosure. In other embodiments this is a separate flexiblecomponent connected to each panel. Similar angles may be used on thebottom and sides of one or both of the panels. In another embodiment aseparate, flexible attachment, perhaps of rubber or other polymer, maybe included on the bottom and/or sides of the panel. For example, inFIG. 3 the bottom of the panel is bent 51 and then secured in thatposition with a flexible metal insert. No particular panel material isrequired, but PVC is preferred. PVC having a thickness of 0.01″ isparticularly preferred.

2. Assembly

Assembly of embodiments of the invention is straightforward. A userplaces the header of a panel into the rod's wall aperture, through thetrack's groove, and up into the track. The entire header is then fedthrough the aperture and groove, along the track until it is within thetrack. At that point the top portion will not fall back through the wallaperture and groove at least because of the angle of the groove, butinstead must be aligned with the groove and aperture and pulled throughthem by a user. The insertion is repeated with the second and anysubsequent panels. The rod is then placed between two opposing surfacesand the ends of the rod are adjusted to allow a secure fit. Ifnecessary, magnets are affixed to opposing surfaces to allow magnets onthe outer edges of the panels to be secured when the enclosure is inuse.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above examples providespecific embodiments of the invention and are not exhaustive, and thatthe scope of the invention is defined by the claims.

We claim:
 1. A shower panel enclosure comprising: a rod, said rod havinga first end, a second end, a wall aperture and a slot, said slot runningalong the length of the rod; an insert, said insert comprising twotracks and at least one groove, each track having a separate openingrunning along the length of the insert, wherein said insert is disposedwithin the rod and oriented such that separate openings are oriented toallow access to the tracks through the slot, wherein said wall apertureand said groove have shapes corresponding to a cross section of saidtracks; and two opposite panels, each of said panels corresponding to aseparate track, and each of said panels having a header, a bottomportion, front face, back face, inner edge, and outer edge, wherein saidheader has a cross-section corresponding to the cross section of saidtracks, wherein said header of each panel may be inserted through thewall aperture and the groove and into a separate track, said trackretaining said top portion of each of said panels and allowing saidpanels to depend from the insert and slide along the length of the rod.2. The shower panel enclosure of claim 1, wherein at least one of saidfirst end and said second end of said rod is adjustable to vary thelength of said rod.
 3. The shower panel enclosure of claim 1, furthercomprising friction pads on the first end and second end of the rod. 4.The shower panel enclosure of claim 1, further comprising magnets on theouter edges of said panels, said magnets oriented to secure said outeredges to an opposing surface.
 5. The shower panel enclosure of claim 1,further comprising magnets on the inner edge of each of said panels,said magnets on the first panel oriented to engage the magnets on theinner edge of the second panel.
 6. The shower panel enclosure of claim1, wherein the inner side of each panel is angled inward toward theother panel.
 7. The shower panel enclosure of claim 1, wherein theheader of each panel is integral with that panel.
 8. The shower panelenclosure of claim 1, wherein the header of each panel is a separatearticle joined to that panel.
 9. The shower panel enclosure of claim 1,wherein at least one of the panels bears ornamentation.
 10. The showerpanel enclosure of claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the header is“T” shaped.
 11. The shower panel enclosure of claim 1, wherein the rodhas a circular cross-section.